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British Journal of Haematology 10/2010; 152(3):360-2. · 4.94 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Patients with multiple myeloma are at increased risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE), but little information is available on VTE risk in patients with the precursor condition monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS).
To evaluate the risk of VTE and its impact on mortality in patients with MGUS.
We identified 1610 patients with MGUS and no prior diagnosis of VTE during the 1978-2005 period in North Jutland County, Denmark. We used the Danish Central Population Registry to select 16,100 general population comparison cohort members with no prior VTE diagnosis, matched with the MGUS patients by age, sex, and comorbidity. Follow-up data on VTE incidence in the two groups were obtained from the Danish National Patient Registry covering all Danish hospitals. Time-varying Cox regression analysis was used to compute the incidence rate ratio (IRR) of VTE and the mortality rate ratio (MRR) for MGUS patients who developed VTE compared to MGUS patients without VTE.
In the MGUS cohort, 50 VTE events were identified during 12,594 person-years (PY) of follow-up, corresponding to an incidence rate of 4.0 VTEs/1000 PY. The IRR for VTE among MGUS patients compared to the comparison cohort was 1.37 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.00-1.88). Of the 50 MGUS patients with VTE, one was later diagnosed with malignant transformation. The adjusted MRR for MGUS patients with VTE compared to MGUS patients without VTE was 1.94 (95% CI: 1.36-2.77).
MGUS is a risk factor for VTE, and VTE is a marker for increased mortality among MGUS patients.
European Journal Of Haematology 10/2010; 86(2):129-34. · 2.61 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: We quantified and differentiated reticulin and collagen content in bone marrow specimens from chronic immune thrombocytopenic (ITP) patients and examined the correlation between some clinical characteristics and the fibrosis grading. Through the Danish National Patient Registry, we identified 378 patients with chronic ITP from 1997 until 2007. Of these, 253 (67%) had undergone at least one bone marrow biopsy, and we retrieved the bone marrow specimens from 187 (74%). We graded the bone marrow content of reticulin and collagen according to the Thiele scale (Grade 0-3). We also retrieved information on patients' clinical characteristics. We examined the prevalence of bone marrow fibrosis grading > 0 by patients' age (≤ 75 years and > 75 years), sex, platelet count at baseline (< 30 × 10⁹/L, and ≥ 30 × 10⁹/L), splenomegaly, hepatomegaly, and medications. In total 75 chronic ITP patients (40%) had a bone marrow grading >0. Of these, 72 (39%) had Grade 1 reticulin fibers present. Only three patients (< 2%) had collagen fibers present: two had Grade 2 and one had Grade 3. The prevalence of bone marrow grading > 0 was lower in patients aged > 75 years than ≤ 75 years (prevalence ratio = 0.64, 95% CI: 0.36-1.15) and lower in men than women (prevalence ratio = 0.70, 95% CI: 0.45-1.09), while a baseline platelet count ≥ 30 × 10⁹/L was associated with a higher prevalence of grading > 0 (prevalence ratio = 1.24, 95% CI: 0.81-1.86). Thus, bone marrow reticulin and collagen content in chronic ITP patients may be associated with some clinical characteristics.
American Journal of Hematology 09/2010; 85(12):930-4. · 4.67 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: We describe mortality in patients with prostate cancer with and without bone metastasis further characterized by skeletal related events.
We performed a cohort study of 23,087 incident patients with prostate cancer with a median 2.2-year followup identified through the Danish National Patient Registry from 1999 to 2007. We estimated the cumulative incidence of bone metastasis and skeletal related events, and described survival using the Kaplan-Meier method. Based on a Cox proportional hazard model we estimated mortality rate ratios and associated 95% CIs comparing mortality rates between patients by bone metastasis with and without skeletal related events, adjusting for age and comorbidity.
Of the patients 569 (almost 3%) presented with bone metastasis at prostate cancer diagnosis, of whom 248 (43.6%) experienced a skeletal related event during followup. Of the 22,404 men (97% overall) without bone metastasis at diagnosis 2,578 (11.5%) were diagnosed with bone metastasis and 1,329 (5.9%) also experienced a skeletal related event during followup. One and 5-year survival was 87% and 56% in patients with prostate cancer without bone metastasis, 47% and 3% in those with bone metastasis, and 40% and less than 1% in those with bone metastasis and skeletal related events, respectively. Compared with men with prostate cancer without bone metastasis the adjusted 1-year mortality rate ratio was 4.7 (95% CI 4.3-5.2) in those with bone metastasis and no skeletal related events, and 6.6 (95% CI 5.9-7.5) in those with bone metastasis and a skeletal related event.
Bone metastasis and skeletal related events predict poor prognosis in men with prostate cancer.
The Journal of urology 07/2010; 184(1):162-7. · 4.02 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Women with Crohn's disease (CD) are considered to be at increased risk for adverse outcomes of pregnancy. However, the few studies assessing this risk have had small sample sizes and limitations. We examined outcomes of pregnancy among a large cohort of primiparous women with CD.
Our population-based prevalence study utilized data from medical birth registries in Sweden and Denmark between 1994 and 2006. Linking birth registry data with national patient registries, we identified 2377 women with a hospital diagnosis of CD prior to delivery and 869,202 women with no diagnosis of CD. Using logistic regression analysis, we estimated relative risks with 95% confidence intervals (CI) for pre-eclampsia, preterm birth, 5-minute Apgar scores below 7, cesarean section, small for gestational age (SGA), stillbirth, and congenital malformations.
Maternal CD was associated with increased risk of moderately and very preterm birth (prevalence odds ratio [POR], 1.76; 95% CI, 1.51-2.05; and POR, 1.86; 95% CI, 1.38-2.52, respectively). Maternal CD was also associated with increased risk for cesarean section (POR, 1.93; 95% CI, 1.76-2.12). The strongest associations with CD were observed for prelabor cesarean section and induced preterm delivery. Risk of small size for gestational age birth was slightly increased among women with CD, especially during the time period of 2002-2006 (POR, 1.43; 95% CI, 1.09-1.89). We found no increased risks for pre-eclampsia, low 5-minute Apgar score, stillbirth, or congenital malformations.
Maternal CD is a risk factor for preterm birth, but not birth defects.
Clinical gastroenterology and hepatology: the official clinical practice journal of the American Gastroenterological Association 03/2010; 8(6):509-15. · 5.64 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: We hypothesized that preceding zoonotic Salmonella or Campylobacter gastroenteritis aggravated the prognosis in cancer patients. Exposed patients comprised all of those diagnosed with first-time Salmonella/Campylobacter gastroenteritis from 1991 and with first-time cancer diagnosis thereafter (through 2003) in two Danish counties. These patients were matched for main cancer type, gender, age and calendar period to unexposed cancer patients, i.e. those without Salmonella/Campylobacter gastroenteritis. We compared cancer stage by age- and comorbidity-adjusted logistic regression analysis, survival by comorbidity-adjusted Cox's regression analysis and mortality dependent on the time period between Salmonella/Campylobacter gastroenteritis and cancer by spline regression curves. The study cohort comprised 272 Salmonella/Campylobacter-exposed cancer patients and 2681 unexposed cancer patients. Prevalence odds ratios [95% confidence intervals (CI)] in exposed as compared with unexposed patients were 0.96 (0.74-1.25) for localized tumours, 1.15 (0.87-1.54) for regional spread and 1.14 (0.84-1.55) for metastases. Adjusted mortality rate ratios (95% CI) were 0.93 (0.75-1.16) for 0-1 year, 1.08 (0.84-1.39) for 2-5 years and 1.02 (0.60-1.73) for the remaining period. Mortality estimates did not change in relation to the time period between gastroenteritis and cancer. Salmonella/Campylobacter gastroenteritis prior to cancer was associated with neither the cancer stage nor a poorer prognosis.
Apmis 02/2010; 118(2):136-42. · 1.99 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Data on the safety of selective serotonin-reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) in pregnancy are inconsistent. We examined associations between SSRI use during early pregnancy and risk of congenital malformations in infants.
Set in Northern Denmark, our population-based prevalence study included 216,042 women who had a live birth after the 20th week of gestation. We compared the prevalence of malformation in infants born to women who redeemed at least one SSRI prescription during early pregnancy with the prevalence in infants born to women who redeemed no SSRI prescriptions during their pregnancies. Drug use data were extracted from prescription databases, while data on congenital malformations were obtained from the National Registry of Patients.
The 2,062 women with SSRI prescriptions during early pregnancy gave birth to 105 (5.1%) infants with malformations, while the 213,712 women with no SSRI prescriptions gave birth to 7,449 (3.5%) infants with malformations. SSRI use was associated with an increased risk of malformations overall (odds ratio [OR] = 1.3; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.1-1.6) and cardiac malformations (OR = 1.7; 95% CI: 1.1-2.5). For specific SSRIs, we found an increased risk for septal defects associated with sertraline.
We found little overall association between use of SSRIs during pregnancy and congenital malformations, but our findings suggest an association between maternal SSRI use in early pregnancy and cardiac malformations which could be causal.
Clinical Epidemiology 01/2010; 2:29-36.
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European urology 11/2009; 56(5):e41. · 7.67 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: To examine (i) the prevalence of comorbidity among invasive bladder cancer (IBC) patients, and (ii) the effect of comorbidity on IBC survival and mortality in Northern Denmark. Comorbidity has shown to be associated with treatment selection and survival in patients who undergo radical cystectomy for IBC.
Patients with a diagnosis of IBC from Danish hospitals between 1996 and 2007 within a population of 1.6 million were identified through the Danish National Patient Registry. From hospital diagnosis data, we computed Charlson Comorbidity Index scores (0, 1-2, 3+) for IBC patients and computed absolute survival and relative mortality estimates according to comorbidity level.
We identified 3997 patients with IBC among whom 1715 (43%) had comorbidities. The prevalence of comorbidity tended to increase during the study period with those having scores 3+ increasing from 8%-12%. Three- and 5-year mortality rates were higher for patients with comorbidity, with mortality rates more than 2-fold higher among those with scores of 3+ and 1.5-fold higher among those with scores of 1-2 compared with no comorbidity. Generally, the same pattern was seen for 1-year relative survival rates.
Comorbidity was seen among 43% of IBC patients and severe comorbidity was a predictor of poorer survival.
Urology 11/2009; 75(2):393-8. · 2.43 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Objective of the study is to investigate how compliance during the first year of methotrexate (MTX) treatment in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is influenced by the patients' perception of the necessity for and concern about MTX, the patients' functional disability, and the dose of MTX. A total of 126 RA patients completed a questionnaire at start of MTX treatment and after 9 months. The MTX compliance was measured by using the Compliance Questionnaire Rheumatology (CQR). The prevalence of having a CQR score in the bottom quartile was stratified according to age, gender, the duration of RA, MTX dose, years of school education, functional disability, use of folic acid, and co-morbidity. Crude and adjusted prevalence ratios (PR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated by using log-binomial regression. The necessity and concern scales of the Beliefs about Medication Questionnaire were dichotomised into high perception of MTX necessity and low concern about MTX treatment, and the crude and adjusted PR of having a CQR score in the bottom quartile were estimated. The prevalence of having a CQR in the bottom quartile was 23%, both at baseline and after 9 months, and this finding was not associated with the MTX dose level or the patients' functional disability. Among patients with a CQR in the bottom quartile, the prevalence of having low perceptions of MTX necessity was 37.1 versus 14.0% for patients with high perceptions of necessity [adjusted PR: 0.3 (95% CI 0.2-0.8)]. The same tendency was seen after 9 months. The prevalence of having a CQR in the bottom quartile or not was almost equally distributed among patients who had high or low concerns about treatment at baseline. After 9 months, however, the prevalence of having a CQR in the bottom quartile was 18.9% for patients who had low concerns about the MTX treatment, versus 37.7% for patients who had higher concerns about the treatment [adjusted PR: 0.5 (95% CI 0.2-1.3)]. During the first year of treatment, compliance with MTX treatment among RA patients could be explained by strong perceptions of a personal need for the treatment. Compliance did not seem to be influenced by the patients' functional impairment or the MTX dose level.
Rheumatology International 10/2009; 30(11):1441-8. · 1.88 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: To compare the risk of postpartum infections within 30 days after vaginal birth, emergency, or elective cesarean section (CS).
Register-based cohort study in Denmark.
A total of 32,468 women giving birth in hospitals in the County of Aarhus, Denmark, during the period 2001-2005.
Data from various hospital registries were combined and infections were identified by positive cultures, prescriptions for antibiotics and, re-operative procedures.Risk of postpartum infection was estimated and adjustment for potentially confounders was performed.
Within 30 days postpartum, 7.6% of women who had underwent CS and 1.6% of women having a vaginal birth acquired an infection, yielding an adjusted odds ratio (OR) of 4.71, 95% confidence interval (CI): 4.08-5.43. The prevalence of postpartum urinary tract infection (UTI) was 2.8%, after CS and 1.5% after vaginal birth corresponding to an adjusted OR = 1.68, 95% CI: 1.38-2.03. The risk of UTI did not differ between emergency and elective CS. The prevalence of WI was 5.0% after CS and 0.08% after vaginal birth. Moreover, we found a nearly 50% higher risk of postpartum WI after emergency CS compared to elective CS (OR = 1.49, 95% CI: 1.13-1.97). More than 75% (697/907) of postpartum infections appeared after hospital discharge.
The risk of postpartum infection seems to be nearly five-fold increased after CS compared with vaginal birth. This may be of concern since the prevalence of CS is increasing.
Acta Obstetricia Et Gynecologica Scandinavica 08/2009; 88(9):976-83. · 1.77 Impact Factor
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Ugeskrift for laeger 07/2009; 171(26):2221.
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ABSTRACT: To examine the association between maternal use of oral contraceptives in early pregnancy and increased prevalence of hypospadias in male offspring.
We conducted a nationwide population-based case-control study using data from nationwide medical databases. Among live male births between January 1, 1996, and December 31, 2005, we identified all cases of hypospadias recorded anytime postpartum (n = 1683) and randomly selected 10 controls per case without such a diagnosis (n = 15 650), matched by year and hospital of birth. We used conditional logistic regression to estimate prevalence ratios stratified according to time of diagnosis (within 6 months postpartum, >6 months postpartum), controlling for potential confounding factors including maternal age, birth order, maternal smoking, prescriptions for ovulation-inducing drugs, antiepileptics, and antidiabetics, and a maternal diagnosis of pre-eclampsia.
We included 1683 cases of hypospadias and 15,650 population controls during 1996-2005. Among the 1186 boys who had their hypospadias diagnosis recorded within 6 months postpartum, 28 (2.4%) had been exposed to oral contraceptives between 30 days before conception until the end of the first trimester. Among the controls, 307 (2.8%) were similarly exposed, corresponding to a prevalence ratio of 0.85 (95% CI: 0.57-1.27) after adjusting for possible confounders. For a diagnosis registered >6 months postpartum, the adjusted prevalence ratio was 1.12 (95% CI: 0.61-2.06).
Our data do not support the hypothesis that maternal use of oral contraceptives around conception is associated with an increased prevalence of hypospadias in the offspring.
Urology 07/2009; 74(3):583-7. · 2.43 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Comorbid disease in patients with renal cancer may affect renal cancer prognosis. We estimated the risk of 1 and 5-year mortality in patients with renal cancer in northern Denmark by comorbidity status.
We performed a cohort study tracking mortality in all patients with an incident diagnosis of renal cancer between 1995 and 2006 in a population of 1.6 million residents in northern Denmark. Using hospital discharge data before cancer diagnosis we calculated Charlson comorbidity index scores (0, 1-2 or 3+) in patients with renal cancer as well as absolute survival and relative mortality estimates according to comorbidity level.
We identified 2,315 patients with renal cancer, of whom 950 (41%) had comorbidity. The prevalence of comorbidity tended to increase during the study period with the rate in patients with a score of 3+ increasing from 9% to 13%. The 5-year relative mortality rate was lower in patients with a positive Charlson index score with mortality almost twice as high in those with a score of 3+ and 1.2-fold higher in those with a score of 1-2 compared to mortality in those with no comorbidity. Generally similar patterns were observed for 1-year relative mortality.
Comorbidity is common in patients with renal cancer and it is a negative prognostic factor.
The Journal of urology 06/2009; 182(1):35-40; discussion 40. · 4.02 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: To examine the association between febrile seizures and cognitive performance in early adulthood.
This is a population-based study using data linked from health-care databases and conscript records of Danish men born from 1977 to 1983. The association between febrile seizures and cognitive function, measured with the Boerge Prien validated group intelligence test, was examined overall and by age of seizure, adjusted for potential confounders. The analysis was restricted to men without a known history of epilepsy (n = 18 276).
Of the 18 276 eligible conscripts, 507 (2.8%) had a record of hospitalization with febrile seizures. Compared with conscripts with no such record, the adjusted prevalence ratio for having a Boerge Prien score in the bottom quartile was 1.08 (95% CI, 0.94-1.25). The adjusted prevalence ratios were 1.38 (95% CI, 1.07-1.79) for febrile seizures with an onset age of 3 months to <1 year, 0.98 (95% CI, 0.80-1.18) for febrile seizures with an onset age of 1 to 2 years, and 1.14 (95% CI, 0.79-1.66) for an onset age of 3 to 5 years.
Overall, there was little association between febrile seizures and cognitive function.
The Journal of pediatrics 06/2009; 155(3):404-9. · 4.02 Impact Factor
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European urology 03/2009; · 7.67 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: The impact of comorbidity on the outcome of colorectal cancer is poorly understood. We examined the prevalence of comorbidity and its impact on survival among Danish colorectal cancer patients.
The hospital discharge registries in northern Denmark were used to identify 13,190 patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer between 1995 and 2006, and to assess their comorbidity using the Charlson Comorbidity Index. We obtained product limit estimates of 1-year and 5-year crude survival based on three levels of comorbidity. To quantify the impact of comorbidity on mortality, we used Cox's proportional hazards regression analysis to compute the mortality rate ratio.
One-third of the patients had recorded comorbid conditions. Patients with moderate and severe comorbidity (Charlson scores 1-2 and score 3+) had considerably higher 1-year and 5-year mortality rates compared to patients without comorbidity. For colon cancer patients, 1-year estimates in 2004 to 2006 were mortality rate ratio1-2 = 1.2 (95 percent confidence interval, 1.0-1.5) and mortality rate ratio3+ = 1.8 (95 percent confidence interval, 1.4-2.3). For rectal cancer patients with severe comorbidity, the negative impact on survival increased over time.
Comorbidity was a strong negative prognostic factor for survival among colorectal cancer patients.
Diseases of the Colon & Rectum 02/2009; 52(1):71-8. · 3.13 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: We hypothesised that haematological malignancies increase the risk of acquiring zoonotic Salmonella or Campylobacter gastroenteritis. The population-based study comprised all first-time Salmonella/Campylobacter gastroenteritis cases in two Danish counties (1991-2003), with age- and gender-matched controls from the background population. We linked the study cohort to registries to obtain data on malignancies, chemotherapy (yes/no), and main comorbidities diagnosed before Salmonella/Campylobacter gastroenteritis. Based on this design, we determined incidence rate ratios (IRR) in conditional logistic regression analyses, and we used weighted mean regression curves to evaluate fluctuations in risk 0-5 years after the malignancy diagnosis. Sixty-eight of 13,324 cases (0.5%) and 29 of 26,648 controls (0.1%) had haematological malignancy before their Salmonella/Campylobacter gastroenteritis. Comorbidity-adjusted IRR for Salmonella/Campylobacter gastroenteritis in patients with haematological malignancy as compared to patients without malignancy were 4.46 [95% confidence intervals (CI), 2.88-6.90] for all individuals, 8.33 (95% CI, 4.31-16.1) for Salmonella, and 2.17 (95% CI, 1.15-4.08) for Campylobacter. Stratification on chemotherapy treatment did not change these estimates. In time-related analyses, IRR were 7-8 in the first 2 years after the haematological malignancy diagnosis and 4-5 in the following 3 years. Patients with haematological malignancy had increased long-term risk of enquiring Salmonella or Campylobacter gastroenteritis.
Annals of Hematology 01/2009; 88(8):761-7. · 2.62 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Hypospadias is a relatively common congenital malformation. Data on temporal trends in prevalence of hypospadias are conflicting. It is unclear whether changes of maternal age distribution over time are associated with changes in hypospadias prevalence.
To study changes in prevalence of hypospadias in Denmark during a 29-yr period and to investigate whether maternal age was associated with the prevalence of hypospadias.
Through Denmark's National Patient Registry, covering all Danish hospitals, we identified all boys diagnosed with hypospadias in Denmark. From the Danish Medical Birth Registry, we obtained information on maternal age and on the annual total number of live-born boys from 1977 to 2005.
Prevalence of hypospadias at birth.
Among 921745 boys born alive from 1977 to 2005, we identified 3490 boys with hypospadias. The prevalence increased from 0.24% in 1977 to 0.52% in 2005, corresponding with an annual increase in prevalence of 2.40% (95% confidence interval: 1.94-2.86). The prevalence of hypospadias did not differ according to maternal age. The mean annual prevalence was 0.38% in sons of mothers aged <or=25 yr, 0.37% in sons of mothers aged 26-30 yr, 0.39% in sons of mothers aged 31-35 yr, and 0.39% in sons of mothers >35 yr.
The hypospadias prevalence was increasing in Denmark from 1977 to 2005. Increased maternal age did not explain this trend.
European urology 01/2009; 55(5):1022-6. · 7.67 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Surveillance of surgical site infections (SSI) provides data upon which interventions to improve patient safety can be based. In Thailand, however, SSI surveillance has not yet been standardized.
To develop a standardized SSI surveillance system and to monitor SSI rates after introduction of such a system.
We conducted a prospective study among 17,752 patients who underwent surgery in ten hospitals in Thailand from April 2004 to May 2005. The SSI rates were computed and benchmarked with the US rates, reported in terms of standardized infection ratio (SIR). We estimated the incidence rate ratio of surgical site infections by comparing the incidence in the last study period with the incidence in the first study period.
The study included 17,869 operations and identified 248 SSIs, yielding an SSI rate of 1.4 infections/100 operations and a corresponding SIR of 0.6 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.5-0.7). During the study period the overall SSI rate decreased from 1.8 infections/100 operations to 1.2 infections/100 operations, yielding an incidence rate ratio of 0.65 (95% CI = 0.47-0.89).
Our study highlighted that a standardized SSI surveillance in a developing country can be initiated through a network and may be followed by a decrease in SSI rates.
Clinical Epidemiology 01/2009; 1:67-74.
